Man convicted of vehicular homicide in 2011 crash

Published: Friday, June 21, 2013 at 07:58 PM.

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PANAMA CITY — It took a Bay County jury about one hour Friday to find Tarrance Harrell guilty of vehicular homicide in a fatal 2011 car crash in Panama City.

Harrell, 22, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 15 years probation. He was driving a speeding car that crashed at U.S. Business 98 and North Cove Boulevard shortly after 4 a.m. on Oct. 22, 2011. The crash split the vehicle in two and killed 23-year-old passenger Danielle Guilford, a certified nursing assistant and mother of two young children. Harrell, Guilford and others in the car had been partying at Club DejaVu in Panama City. Harrell was on probation for drug and gun charges at the time, and was found guilty Friday of violating that probation.

Harrell was initially charged with DUI manslaughter, but that charge was dropped. Police reported Harrell’s blood-alcohol content was .059 after the incident, which is below the legal limit.

During the trial, defense attorney Jean Marie Downing would not concede that Harrell was driving the vehicle. She also questioned the credibility of witness Miah Hill, Harrell’s cousin, who was a passenger in the crash. Hill initially had lied to police and said she was the driver, and later testified that she was trying protect Harrell because he was on probation.

Hill was intoxicated during the crash, and state prosecutor Robert Sale argued that when Harrell saw police testing her blood-alcohol content, Harrell had an attack of conscience and confessed to being the driver. The confession, recorded by police, was replayed Friday during Sale’s closing statements to the jury.

Harrell did not testify in the trial.

Guilford’s mother, Brenda Armstead, said her daughter was a good parent and generous friend. Armstead called her daughter “Danny.”

PANAMA CITY — It took a Bay County jury about one hour Friday to find Tarrance Harrell guilty of vehicular homicide in a fatal 2011 car crash in Panama City.

Harrell, 22, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 15 years probation. He was driving a speeding car that crashed at U.S. Business 98 and North Cove Boulevard shortly after 4 a.m. on Oct. 22, 2011. The crash split the vehicle in two and killed 23-year-old passenger Danielle Guilford, a certified nursing assistant and mother of two young children. Harrell, Guilford and others in the car had been partying at Club DejaVu in Panama City. Harrell was on probation for drug and gun charges at the time, and was found guilty Friday of violating that probation.

Harrell was initially charged with DUI manslaughter, but that charge was dropped. Police reported Harrell’s blood-alcohol content was .059 after the incident, which is below the legal limit.

During the trial, defense attorney Jean Marie Downing would not concede that Harrell was driving the vehicle. She also questioned the credibility of witness Miah Hill, Harrell’s cousin, who was a passenger in the crash. Hill initially had lied to police and said she was the driver, and later testified that she was trying protect Harrell because he was on probation.

Hill was intoxicated during the crash, and state prosecutor Robert Sale argued that when Harrell saw police testing her blood-alcohol content, Harrell had an attack of conscience and confessed to being the driver. The confession, recorded by police, was replayed Friday during Sale’s closing statements to the jury.

Harrell did not testify in the trial.

Guilford’s mother, Brenda Armstead, said her daughter was a good parent and generous friend. Armstead called her daughter “Danny.”

“I try not be angry at the situation, because I know Danny wouldn’t be angry. ... I ask God for understanding and strength,” she said in an interview after the trial.

Armstead said she and other relatives of Guilford have leaned on their faith since the crash, and that she can forgive Harrell.

“The Bible says that we must forgive. But no matter what, I won’t forget and there will always be that pain there,” she said. “But will I be able to talk to him? Yeah. Will I be able to listen to him say he’s sorry? Yeah. I don’t think I would have any malice against him.”

After his conviction, a tearful Harrell turned to Guilford’s family and friends in the courtroom and offered such an apology

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I just have to accept it.”

Guilford’s children, ages 6 and 2, have been adopted by Armstead.

“Danielle Guilford didn’t have to die,” Sale said after the trial. “The defendant had been put on probation for violating the law, and therefore was given a second chance. And he chose to commit this crime that ruined his life and took Danielle Guilford’s. And the right decision was reached today.”

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